Electrically-actuated dental plugger



(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 1.

' A. W. BROWNE.

' BLEGTRIGALLY ACTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER. No. 558,153. Patented Apr.14,1896.

WlTNESSES:

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. W. BROWNE. ELEGTRIGALLY AGTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER.

No. 558,153. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

. INVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

5 sheets-sheet a.

(No Model.)

A. W. BROWNE. ELEGTRIGALLY AGTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER.

iNVENTOR:

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

gggggg WITNESSES:

0&4

ANDREW BARAHAMYPMOTO-UIMO WASHINGTDILD Cv (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet A.W. BROWNE.

ELEGTRIGALLY AOTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER.

No. 558,153. PatentedApr. 51896;

\NVENTOR:

(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 5,

A. W. BROWNE. ELEGTRIGALLY AOTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER.

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

WITNESSES: M

INVENTOR:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR \V. BRO\VNE, OF PRINCES BAY, NEAV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. S.lVlllTE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRlCALLY-ACTUATED DENTAL PLUGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,153, dated April14, 1896.

Applicatio fil d November 6, 1895. Serial No. 568,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ARTHUR 1V. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Princes Bay, in the county of Richmond and State of NewYork, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inElectrically-Actuated Dental Pluggers and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements, as hereinafter claimed,including features of the plugger-frame, the plugger-handle, theconnection of the plugger-handle with the frame, the plugger-retainingdevices, the hammer-actuating devices, the circuit-interruptin g devicesand their controlling devices, and the conducting-cord and itsconnection with the plugging apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of theimproved mechanism with the conducting-cord partly broken away. Figs. 2and 3 are views at right angles with each other, showing the frame ofthe instrument and various parts carried thereby with parts of theapparatus detached. Fig. l is a view showing parts in section on theline 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in side elevation and partlyin longitudinal central section, on the line 5 of Fig. 15. Fig. (5 is aview showing, detached, the lever by way of which thecircuit-interrupting devices are controlled to open and close thecircuit. Fig. 7 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly intransverse section, on the line '7 of Fig. 5, showing details ofconstruction. Figs. 8 and SJ show, respectively, an inside and anoutside view of the plate-carrying contacts for making couplingconnection with the conductingcord and also showing the cooperatingcontact actuatinglever. Fig. lOisaview, mainly in longitudinal section,on the line 10 of Fig. 15, designed particularly to show the manner ofsecuring the plugger in operative position. Fig; 11 is a longitudinalview of the pluggerretainer detached. Fig. 12 is a detail view showingthe means for securing the pluggerhandle to the frame. Figs. 13 to 18,inclusive, are ions in transverse sections through Fig.

10, showing details of construction, Fig. 13 being a section on line 13of Fig. 10, Fig. 14 a section on line 14, Fig. 15 a section on line 15,Fig. 16 a section on line 16, and Figs. 17 and 18 sections on lines 17and 18,respectively, with parts in elevation. Fig. 19 is a View inperspective showing the cord by which electrical connection is madebetween the apparatus and a battery or switchboard; Fig. 20, a view of aportion of 'such conducting-cord and its connecting-forks or couplingcontacts for connection with contacts of the apparatus, and Fig. 21 asectional view on the line 21 of Fig. 19.

A suitable frame serving to support the plugger and the field-coils andtheir soft-iron cores constituting the electromagnets usually employedin this class of devices is shown as composed of a metal tube A, havingannular shoulders or collars a a near its ends and end pieces or platesA A embracing the ends of the tube and secured in place by screws apassing through the plates and engaging the tubecollars. The parts mayreadily be separated by removing their connecting-screws.

An armature B, constituting the mallet or hammer for actuatinga plugger,is weighted bya knob B, is jointed t0 the frame by a pivot 19 passingthrough one end of the armature, and through lugs Z) l) at the extremityof the frame end piece A. A spring 0, serving to retract the armature orrestore it to its normal position after being attracted by theelectromagnets, is inclosed and protected by a housing 0, formed withthe end piece A of the frame.

A tubular handle for the plugger D is adapted to be readily secured toand detached from the frame. This handle is shown as composed of a mainor inner section D, of metal, and an outer or enveloping section Dpreferably of hard rubber, shorter than the main section and surroundingthe inner section of a portion only of its length beyond or in advanceof the frame. A screw 0 detachably connects the two sections of thehandle. The handle at its inner or rear portion,which is constituted bythe inner or main section alone, enters the tubular portion A of theframe and is provided with an annular shoulder or fixed collar D which,when the handle is in place, is slightly in advance of the outer end orplate A of the frame. At its inner or rear end the handle is reduced indiameter from the shoulder d and externally screw-threaded from thisshoulder to its rear extremity, as shown at d, Figs. 5 and 10. Thehandle is also internally shouldered at (1 near its rear end, and is ofreduced internal diameter from this shoulder to its rear extremity. Aplunger E is mounted to reciprocate in the reduced rear end of thehandle, and a short tubular section or cap E screw-attached to the rearend of the handle surrounds the plunger and provides a chamber inwhichis a coiled spring 6, bearing at one end against the rear end ofthe handle and at the other against a shoulder or collar 6 of theplunger near its rear end, which projects through and extends a shortdistance rearwardly from the cap, so as to be struck by thearmature-hammer 13. The plunger-spring exerts a constant pressure uponthe plunger in a direction to project it rearwardly to the slight extentof the movement allowed it after having been forced forward by a blow ofthe hammer. The shoulder e of the plunger limits its rearward move mentby coming in contact with the end of the handle-cap E. In orderto locatethe head or rear end of the plunger properly relatively to the hammerand so as to compensate for wear of the head of the plunger, provisionis made for slightly adjusting the handle lengthwisein the frame. Thisadjustment is shown as attained by means of two screws F F, one ofwhich, F, engages a female screw in the collar D of the handle and bearsagainst the frame-plate A and the other, F, passes through a hole inthis collar and engages a female screw in the frame-plate A and alsoengages this frame-plate with the collar a of the tubular portion of theframe. These screws, it will be seen, are adapted to act in oppositionto each other, so that by their manipulation the handle, andconsequently the plunger, may be adjusted lengthwise inward or outwardin the frame and securely looked as adjusted.

The inner and outer sections of the handle are cut away at F to exposethe pluggershank and permit of its being engaged by the operators thumbto turn the plugger, so as to properly present its point to the workbein g done, as is well understood.

In electromagnetic mallet-actuated pluggers as usually constructedplugger-retainin g devices are employed which are adapted to engageinclined or conical shoulders on the plugger-shanks, and to insureproper working each plugger must be provided with such a shoulder at acertain point that is at an exact distance from the end of the plugger-shank which is operated upon by the mallet-actuated plunger. Such ashoulder f is shown plainly in Figs. 5 and 10 located on theplugger-shank 1n advance of the handle in which In accordance with myimit reeiprocates.

provements the nice work required to locate the shoulder at exactly agiven point is rendered unnecessary, and the location of these shouldersmay be varied slightly without affecting the perfect operation of theplugger.

Instead of the spring retaining jaws or fingers usually employed Iprovide plugger-retaining devices such as now to be described.

The plugger-handle is provided with a slide G, having a finger knob orprojection G, by which to move it outward against the force exerted by aspring G the tendency of the spring being to maintain the slide in itsretracted or inward position and restore it to such position after beingmoved outward.

A pluggenretainer II is forked at its outer end to engage the plugger atits shoulder f and is jointed at its inner end to the outer end of theretainer-slide by the pivot it, so that the retainer may be swung awayfrom the plugger or into engagement therewith. The retainer-slide hassuitable guidewayeonnection with the plugger-handle, the connectionshown being as follows: The outer section D of the handle is suitablycut away at I I and longitudinally grooved at I 1*, and the innersection D of the handle is cut away at J. works inside thehandle-section D at the cutaway portion-J of the handle-section D. Nearits inner or rear end the retainer-slide is detachably connected by ascrew g with a slidepieee 7c, adapted by dovetailed connection toreciprocate in a guideway formed between. two flanges or ribs K K of theinner handlesection. Inward movement of the slide-piece is limited byits contact with a lug or shoulder 7c of the handle-section D. Thespring G bears at one end against the slide-piece and at its oppositeend against a shoulder or lug h, detachably secured by a screw 7L2 tothe inner handle-section and provided with the stem surrounded by thespring.

From the above description it will be seen that the use of theplunger-spring c is not necessary, as its action is supplemented by thespring of the plugger-retaining devices, which might be wholly reliedupon forperforming the work of projecting the plunger by way of theplugger. It will also be seen that as the spring of the retainingdevices exerts a direct pull or retracting strain upon the plugger anabrupt or square shoulder might be substituted for the inclined shoulderf, which latter form is necessarily used with the old style ofretainers, consisting of spring-jaws pressing laterally from "oppositesides upon the inclined shoulder, and so by a wedging action yieldinglypressing the plugger inward.

By my improvements the plugger may readily be inserted into andwithdrawn from the handle by movement of the slide and swing the pivotedretainer out of the way, while the accidental forcing of the pluggerfrom the handle in operation is rendered impossible, which is not thecase when spring- A lip or flange g of the retainer-slide fingerspressing laterally on the plungershoulder are used. Further, it shouldbe noticed that a much greater range of movement is given the pivotedretainer having the slide movable lengthwise of the handle than ispossessed by the old flexing retaining-fingers, and consequently theforked end of the retainer may be advanced by the yielding of the springG as far as is ever likely to become necessary to enable it to properlyen gage and act upon the shoulder of the plug ger should this shoulderbe located somewhat farther from the rear end of the plugger than usualor intended.

By properly proportioning the parts (see Figs. 5 and 10) it is obviousthat as the plunger is shortened as the result of wear the plugger ispermitted to be moved farther inward in its handle by the action of theretaining devices, thus compensating for wear and preventing lostmotion.

The two branches of the conducting-cord L, adapted to have connection bypoints ZZ with the source of electricity, are provided with thespring-contact arms M M, having the lugs m m for electrical connectionwith the magnet-coils N N by way of the couplinglugs 71 it. To preventshocks to the operator by contact of the hand with the coupling devicesand facilitate the coupling up of the conducting cord, I provide guardsO O, of suitable non-conducting material, preferably hard rubber, forthe spring-contact arms M of the coupler. These guards are jointed neartheir inner ends by pivots 0 0 to metallic plates 0 O, which are securedby rivets 0 oto a strip of insulating material P, which is suitablysecured between the spring-contact arms and serves to limit theirmovement toward each other when pressed between the fingers. The pivotedguards O O are recessed on their inner surfaces, and the spring-contactarms at opposite sides of the separatingstrip P project into theserecesses 12 p of the guards and by their pressure outward tend to holdthe guards with their outer ends as far away from the separating-stripas permitted by their rocking movement on their pivots o 0. At theirouter ends each of the pivoted guards is extended laterally andterminates in the protector P for the couplinglugs m 'm of thespring-contact arms.

It will be seen that as the non-conducting guards secured to theinsulated plates prevent the hand of the operator from touching thecontact-arms of the coupler shocks are rendered impossible. It willfurther be seen that the outer ends coupling-lug protectors of theguards serve, when pressed toward each other by the fingers, to forcethe coupling-lugs m m toward each other and against the opposite sidesof the separating-strip,

thus enabling them to be inserted between the lugs 71 a so as to snapinto engagement with them when the finger-pressure is released.

Electrical connection between the magnets and the contact-lugs n and nand the manner of making and breaking the circuit are as next to bedescribed. The lug n is at one end of a spring-contact plate Q, Fig. 5,which is adapted to make and break connection with a contact-piece Q,which is directly electrically connected by the binding-screw q, Fig. 8,with one end of the field-coils. Normally, the contact-plate Q is helddisconnected from the contact Q by its own resiliency. By the operationof a lever q the contact between the parts Q Q is made to complete thecircuit which is shown as broken in Fig. 5. The contact-actuating leverg is insulated at g to prevent the passage of the current into the frameto which the lever is jointed by the pivot 1 This lever has jointedconnect-ion with one end of a link Q the opposite end of which isengaged by an attachment 7" of a finger-actuated controller shown asconsisting of a lever B, which is pivoted at r to the plugger-handle.The attachment '1 is made of spring metal, is riveted at its front endto the under side of the controllerR, and terminates at its rear in thepin-like or rounded portion, 4

as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and G, projecting from the lever. Thecontroller occupies a groove R, extending longitudinally of the handleof the plugger, and is provided with a finger-rest by way of which torock it on its pivot, so as to press inward the finger-rest end and moveoutward the opposite end, the attachment 0 of which engages a hole inthe link Q and also projects into a larger hole 3 in the frame andthrough a hole 8' in the collar D Fig. 5, in which it is allowed slightplay as the finger-rest of the lever moves toward and away from thehandle of the instrument.

It will be seen that slight pressure upon the finger-rest of thecontroller-lever R will actuate the lever g by way of theconnecting-link Q to make connection between contacts Q and Q, and thatwhen the controller is relieved from pressure of the finger the actionof the spring-contact Q breaks connection between it and the contact Q.

Included in the plugger-circuit between the coupling-contacts nand n arethe automatic circuit -interrupting devices as follows: A contact-plateS, Fig. 2, is directly electrically connected by a binding-screw S,dotted lines, Fig. 2, with the end of the field-coils opposite thatconnected with the contact Q, and a rocking-lever contact S is pivotedon the contact S, with which it has electrical connection. This rockinglever is of bell-crank form, and one of its arms (the longer one) isadapted to make electric contact with a plate T, and through wire 25this plate is electrically connected with the coupling-contact lug n.The short arm of the bell-crank contact is provided with the insulatedknob or end T, by the actuation of which the circuit is made and brokenby controlling means as follows:

A slide-rod V is mounted to move endwise on the frame of the implement,the end pieces of the frame being provided with grooves in which the rodmoves. The slide-rod is provided with slots 11 1; adjacent to itsopposite ends, and screws V V, overlapping the rod, passing through itsslots, and engaging the frame, secure the rod in place while permittingof its movement to the extent desired. The armature-hammer is providedwith a lug U, Fig. 4:, which engages a notch or recess u in the underside of the slide-rod V, so that the slide-rod is moved as the hammer isactuated. V

An adjusting-screw U serves to limit the retracting movement allowed tobe imparted to the hammer by its spring, this adj ustingscrew beingadapted to strike against the lug a of the frame which is embraced bythe slot at one end of the slide-rod. A forked arm or yoke IV, rigidlyconnected with the sliderod, carries ,two adjusting-screws IV w inalinement with the knob or short arm of the contact-lever S Theadjusting -screw 10, when once properly set, remains unaltered exceptwhen adjusted to compensate for wear, while the screw IV requires to beadjusted to correspond with the adjustment of the slide-rodadjusting-screw U, for a purpose farther on to be made apparent.

From the above description, assuming the hammer to be retracted by itsspring, thus causing the adj Listing-screw V to act on the bell-crankcontact S and the controller-lever R to be properly pressed upon, itwill be seen that the circuit will be completed and the magnets charged,so that the hammer is attracted to actuate the plugger and also causethe adj Listing-screw w to operate the bellcrank contact-lever to breakthe circuit, thus leaving the hammer-spring free to act to retract thehammer and cause a repetition of the operations described. Byadjustments of the regulating-screws U and IV the length of stroke ofthe hammer is regulated and the force of its blows correspondinglycontrolled.

To enable the length and force of the blows of the hammer to becontrolled by the pressure of the finger upon the controller R, circuitinterrupting devices intermediate the controller and the slide-rod andits forked arm are employed as follows: A lever X, jointed at one end tothe frame by the pivoting-screw X, carries at its opposite end a pivotedwedge-shaped arm X of insulated material, which is adapted toreciprocate between the short arm T of the contact-lever S and theadjusting-screw IV when properly set. A spring :0 acts upon the lever Xwith a tendency to force its wedgelike arm between the knob of thebell-crank contact-lever and the adjusting-screw XV, while thecontroller at its inner end Y acts, when the linger -rest of thiscontroller is properly pressed inward upon the lever X, to move outwardits wedge-like arm and thus leave the hammer free to strike its blow andinterrupt the circuit by way of the bell-crank contactlever, as hasbefore been explained.

By the spring action of the attachment 1*, as well as by the action ofthe spring 00, the controller R is returned to its normal or inoperativeposition when relieved from the pressure of the finger and the circuitis broken. The adjustment of the screws U and TV required for varyingthe length and force of the blows of the hammer, when the intermediatecontrolling devices are employed, will readily be understood from thedescription before given.

A guard Z suitably secured to the frame of the instrument protects fromcontact with the hand and accidental derangement those portions of thecircuit controlling and interrupting mechanism which are most liable tobe interfered with in operating the instrument, while not interferingwith the ready manipulation of the ad j Listing-screws IV and 20, whichare easily accessible through slots 2' in the guard.

hen it is not desired to use the intermediate devices of the controllingand circuitinterrupting mechanism, they may readily be detached byremoval of the pivoting-screw X by which the lever X is secured inposition.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electrically-actuated dental plugger,the supporting-frame consisting of the tubular portion to receive thepluggerdiandle, and the end pieces detachably secured to the tubularportion to receive the magnets between them, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrically-actuated dental plugger, the combination of themagnet-supporting frame provided with the tubular portion, of theplugger-handle detachably secured in the tubular portion of theframe,substan tially as set forth.

3. In an electrically-actuated dental plugger, the combination of themagnet-supporting frame provided with the tubular portion, of theplugger-handle entering the tubular portion of the frame, and means bywhich said handle is detachably and adjustably secured in position,substantially as set forth.

4. Thecombination of the magnet-supporting frame, provided with thetubular portion, the pivoted armattire-hammer, the tubular handleentering the tubular portion of the frame and in which the plugger isreciprocated, the plunger for operating on the plugger, and the adjustin g-screws connecting said handle and frame to detachably andadjustably secure the handle in position, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. The combination of the plugger-handle, the plugger provided with theshoulder, the pivoted retainer adapted to engage the shouldered portionof the plugger, the slide acted upon by a spring and to which theretainer is pivoted, and means for supporting the slide to admit of itsmovement against the pressure of its spring, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the supportingframe, the plugger-handle carriedthereby,

the plunger carried by the handle, the plugger provided with theshoulder, the pluggerretainer adapted to engage the shouldered portionof the plugger, the slide provided with the finger-knob and havingguideway connection with the plugger-handle and to which theplugger-retainer is pivoted, and the spring acting on theretainer-slide, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

'7. In an electrically-actuated dental plugger, the combination of theconducting-cord, its springcontact arms, and the non-conducting guardshaving pivotal connection with the conducting-cord outside thecontact-arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electrically-actuated dental plugger, the combination of theconducting-cord, its spring-contact arms the insulating-strip betweenthese arms, the non conducting guards having pivotal connection with theconducting-cord and arranged outside the contact-arms, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of the supporting frame, the electromagnets, thepivoted armature-hammer, its spring, the plugger-handle, the pluggeractuated by said hammer, the terminal contacts n it of theplugger-circuit, the finger-actuated controller on the plugger-handle,means to complete the plugger-circuit controlled by said controller, andmeans to vary the force of the blows of the armature-hammer, alsocontrolled by said controller, substantially as set forth.

I testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR XV. BROWNE.

Witnesses:

SEYMOUR CASE, M. A. COLE.

